Suicide attack martyrs five soldiers in NWA

MIRANSHAH: At least five soldiers were martyred and 34 members of security forces wounded when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car into a military checkpoint in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday.

A senior security official said that “a truck laden with explosives was rammed into the checkpoint when security officials were offering evening prayers”. According to details, an explosive-laden truck was driven by the unidentified suicide attacker near Khajoori Check post.

As a result, “five soldiers embraced shahadat (martyrdom)”, the official said.

“The checkpoint has been completely destroyed and 34 injured security personnel have also been recovered,” he said, revising an earlier toll of 4 people dead and 25 injured.

Ansarul Mujahideen, a little-known militant group linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) faction claimed the responsibility hours after the attack.

While speaking to a private TV channel Abu Baseer, the spokesman for the group, said they carried out the attack as an act of revenge for the killing of former TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud.

“We will continue such attacks in future as drones continue to kill our people,” he said.

The security men on duty halted that truck and started search but after few minutes when security officials were busy in checking, suddenly that blasted with a loud bang, leaving devastation and thick smoke on the scene.

The security check post and several neighboring shops were devastated in the blast while bang of the explosion was heard in Bannu, 30 kilometers away, as well.

The rescue teams and volunteers rushed to the blast side and moved the dead bodies and injured to the hospital for medical assistance. Several injured were still in very serious condition, told hospital sources.

The local administration has imposed curfew in North Waziristan for last two days but it did not stop the culprits and they managed to hit hard the security officials inside their check post. The security forces has cordoned off the area and started search operation.